Blog Archives

Interesting interview in which David Kuo claims that we don’t need libraries. In fact, the only use people have is to use the Internet to but books for a penny. So why not spend the money you currently spend on one library to supply 50,000 people with free internet access.

The following is a response to a Senior Manager asking about air conditioning in a specific room, and the use of Laptops to support students. It is always interesting how Management often doesn’t even talk to students or teachers about what they want – just impose specific principles regardless of the value to learning, often following the agendas of their own specific remit. If only meetings were about discussion..

I am perfectly willing to strike. I support the strike for pay – sod the ‘Teachers being greedy’ stuff a lot of opponents talk about, teachers are graduates who work long hours and have an important part to play in society. They are over worked. Schools are underfunded. In the public sector, everyone feels undervalued. This is true in the FE sector.

As part of the UCU myself, I support this. However, I did not go out in action on Thursday to support the NUT because I wasn’t asked to. One of the first things I did when I started my current post is I emailed the new union rep there. A year later, still no response. I have not been contacted by them for anything.

So, I pay £14 a month from my (under)pay – for what? I often wonder at this. Still, I support the pay claim.

The 10p tax rate is abolished so that anyone earning below £17k will have less money in their pocket (if the pay tax). If you are attacked in your home and defend yourself, you still risk being charged by police. But if you don’t pay your tax, or attack someone who has broken into your home, you can go to a nice comfy prison.

I have felt for a while that if you do things by the law (eg Pay your bills, observe the speed limit, be nice to people, drive carefully etc) you will basically get punished.

We have laws in this country. They are not written arbitrarily. They are partly enforced by US, people who are effected. If a road is 30 MPH, it is because people are likely to be crossing it. So stop driving up my arse because I obey it.

I pay may tax because it leads to a fairer society – so spend it on public services like teaching, refuse collection etc. To not have a welfare state is to have an unfair society. So stop ripping it off – don’t sit on your arse doing nothing and claiming it is your money, because it is not. It is our money.

You will not in the recent article the top new immoral behaviour is greed. That comes out when someone rips of the benefit system, buys too much food, panic buys petrol or pushes past you in any type of queue.

In the book ‘One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest’ there is an interesting conversation. One inmate notices that another never has any cigarettes. He asks another inmate about it who answers – ‘Oh, that’s because when he does have some, he doesn’t share’.

Get angry at injustice and greed. Stop being angry at what you think you are owed. Stop being greedy, or we will all suffer very soon.

Now, you know how I feel about this kind of thing. ‘One Foot in the Grave’ became ‘The Cosby Mysteries’. Now, they are blanding up “Spaced” with none of the original members involvement.

Considering the success of Saun of the Dead and Hot fuzz, is this really a good idea? Is it another case of ‘The Tick’ where the company wants something quirky and off beat which is then cancelled for being quirky and offbeat? and how will the do sonething like ‘spaced’ and keep it anywhere near original since it inspired shows like ‘Scrubs’?

Pilot ‘breakdown’ diverts flight
Air Canada flight arriving in Sydney December 2007.
Air Canada says a crew member was taken ill.
An Air Canada flight made an emergency landing in Ireland after a pilot apparently suffered a mental breakdown.

A passenger said the pilot was carried from the plane shouting and swearing, saying he wanted to talk “to God”.

The flight from Toronto to Heathrow landed at Shannon airport after its crew declared a medical emergency. Passengers flew on to London later.

Air Canada has confirmed that a crew member was unwell, but did not confirm he was suffering mental problems.

“He basically said he wanted to talk to God” Sean Finucane,Passenger.

“At no time were the safety of the passengers or crew in question,” said an Air Canada spokesman. “The flight was met by medical personnel and the individual is now in care.”

Eight-hour delay
One of the passengers, Sean Finucane, said he saw the co-pilot being carried into the cabin in restraints.

“He was very, very distraught. He was yelling loudly at times,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. “He was swearing and asking for God and very distressed. He basically said he wanted to talk to God.”

Passengers were put up in hotels while another crew was found. They eventually arrived in London eight hours late.